The Life of Saint Werburge of Chester :: :: University of Virginia Library

The Life of Saint Werburge of Chester

By Henry Bradshaw. Englisht. A.D. 1513, printed by Pynson A.D. 1521, and now re-edited by Carl Horstmann

Bradshaw, Henry

Here begynneth the holy lyfe and history of saynt werburge / very frutefull for all christen people to rede.

The Prologe of .J. T. in the honour & laude of saint Werburge / and to the prayse of þe translatour of the legende folowynge.

Here foloweth the lyfe of the gloryous virgyn saynt werburge / also many miracles that god hath shewed for her. / & fyrst the prologe of the auctour.

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How saynt Werburge was made a moynes after her desyre at the monastery of Ely vnder saynt Audry / lady and abbesse. Ca. xv.

213

Than the kynge remembred / with due cyrcumstaunce
The excellent vertue / sadnes / and grauyte
Of his dere doughter / and the perfyte constaunce,
Her humble petycyon / and pure vyrgynyte;
He thanked our lorde / with great humylyte
Of his infynyte grace / that so royall a floure
Frome hym descended / to his prayse and honoure.

214

He sende messages / in all goodly hast
With letters myssyue / thrugh his regyon,
Commaundynge his subiectes / they shulde full fast

By a day assygned / be redy euerychone
In theyr best maner / with hym for to gone
To brynge his doughter / to the hous of Ely,
There to be relygyous / after her desydery.

215

Whan the day was come / of theyr appoyntment,
The nobles of the realme / and lordes were redy
To attende on theyr souerayne / at his commaundyment.
Kynge Vulfer prepared / all thynge pleasauntly
And of his court / had chosen a noble company
In theyr best aray / royalte / and renowne,
To offer saynt werburge / to god and relygyon.

216

The kynge on his Iourney / rode forthe royally,
The quene hym folowed / as is the custome;
Werburge succeded them consequently;
The peeres and his counseyll / knewe well theyr rowme,
Dukes / erles / lordes / and many a worthy barowne,
Knyghtes / squyers / gentyls / of her kynred also,
With ladyes and gentylwomen / & seruauntes both-two.

217

Whan the kynge approched / the sayd monastery,
Saynt Audry, than abbesse / toke her holy couent
And mette the sayd kynge / and all his company
With solempne processyon / and gretynge benyuolent,
Praysynge our lorde god omnypotent
Whiche of his goodnes / to that congregacyon
Sende them a syster / of suche perfeccyon.

218

Wereburge requyred / by the order of charyte
Mekely on her knees / to enter relygyon.
Saynt Audry receyued / of her benygnyte
And graunted fre lycence / after her petycyon.
Gladde were also / the hole congregacyon
And sange (Te deum), with moche reuerence,
Magnyfyenge our lorde / of his prouydence.

219

She was receyued / with moche solempnyte
Into the holy order / after her entent,
To proue her sadnes / and humylyte
(As is the custome), and so be obedyent,
To lyue euer after / humble / chast / and contynent.
Than dyd theyr Ioye / merueylously encreas,
Consyderynge her pacyens / and perfyte holynes.

220

Her royall dyademe / and shynynge coronall
Was fyrst refuted / for loue of our sauyoure,
The poore vayle accepted / and the symple pall,
The royall ryche purpull / reiected that same houre,
With other clothes of golde / sylkes of great honoure;
She toke lowe appareyll / vestures that were blake—
All her plesaunt garmentes / she clerely dyd forsake.

221

Also she refused / her fathers realme and royalte,
All ryches / rentes / pleasures / possessyon,
With all worldely honoures / full of vanyte;
Lowly submyttynge her / vnder subieccyon,
Vertu to encrese / myndynge moost relygyon;
She refused yet more her owne proper wyll,
Put all to her abbesse / her order to fulfyll.